Petrol

Petrol

a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. A fossil fuel, it is formed when large quantities of dead organisms, usually zooplankton and algae, are buried underneath sedimentary rock and undergo intense heat and pressure.

Industry: Energy

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Petrol

BP Top Kill

Energy; Petrol

A special drilling mud added to a leaking well's blowout preventer, which is followed by cement, with the aim to seal the well and halt the flow of oil.

all-electric home

Energy; Coal

A residence in which electricity is used for the main source of energy for space heating, water heating, and cooking. Other fuels may be used for supplementary heating or other purposes.

alternate energy source for primary heater

Energy; Coal

The fuel that would be used in place of the usual main heating fuel if the building had to switch fuels. (See Fuel-Switching Capability.)

alternating current (AC)

Energy; Coal

An electric current that reverses its direction at regularly recurring intervals.

alternative fuel

Energy; Coal

Alternative fuels, for transportation applications, include the following: *methanol *denatured ethanol, and other alcohols *fuel mixtures containing 85 percent or more by volume of methanol, ...

alternative fuel vehicle converter

Energy; Coal

An organization (including companies, government agencies and utilities), or individual that performs conversions involving alternative fuel vehicles. An AFV converter can convert (1) conventionally ...

alternative-fuel vehicle (AFV)

Energy; Coal

A vehicle designed to operate on an alternative fuel (e.g., compressed natural gas, methane blend, electricity). The vehicle could be either a dedicated vehicle designed to operate exclusively on ...